Characterization of the Estrous Cycle of Asinina De Miranda Jennies (Equus Asinus)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Theriogenology 83 (2015) 616–624 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Theriogenology journal homepage: www.theriojournal.com Characterization of the estrous cycle of Asinina de Miranda jennies (Equus asinus) M. Quaresma a,b,c,*, R. Payan-Carreira c,d a Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal b Associação Para o Estudo e Proteção do Gado Asinino (AEPGA), Atenor, Portugal c Centro de Estudos Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (CECAV), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal d Zootechnics Departement, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal article info abstract Article history: This study aims to characterize the estrous cycle of Asinina de Miranda jennies in the Received 30 May 2014 breeding season, on the basis of data collected from serial ultrasonographic examination Received in revised form 17 October 2014 and serum progesterone determinations in 14 females during a total of 33 cycles. The Accepted 27 October 2014 length of the interovulatory interval was 23.8 Æ 0.55 days, the diestrus and estrus lasting 17.9 Æ 0.46 days and 6.65 Æ 0.30 days, respectively. Age and body condition score (BCS) Keywords: affected the length of the interovulatory intervals; BCS also influenced the diestrus length Donkey and the time in heat after ovulation (P > 0.05). The incidence of single, double, and triple Reproduction Body condition score ovulations was 57.58%, 36.36%, and 6.06%, respectively. Multiple ovulations affected > Ovulation neither the length of the interovulatory interval nor the individual cycle stages (P 0.05) Follicle but lengthened the interval from the beginning of estrus to the last ovulation (P ¼ 0.01). When combined with age, higher BCS affected the ovulation rate (P ¼ 0.001). Deviation of the dominant follicle occurred around Day 8.7 (Day 0 ¼ ovulation) when both single and multiple ovulations were considered. The dominant follicle was larger at divergence in single ovulators (19.18 Æ 0.97 mm) compared with that in multiple ovulators (18.05 Æ 1.16 mm). The overall maximum follicular diameter before ovulation was smaller in multiple ovulatory cycles than that in single ovulatory cycles (37.2 Æ 0.83 mm vs. 40.2 Æ 1.41 mm, respectively; P ¼ 0.03). The daily growth rate of dominant follicles was independent of the ovulation rate (P > 0.05) for the intervals before and after the estrus onset. The dominant follicle size and the follicle growth rates were independent of BCS (P > 0.05). Data collected in this study revealed resemblances between Mirandese and other Iberian and Brazilian breeds with regard to estrous cycle characteristics. Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction leisure activities such as asinotherapy. With around 500 females available for reproduction, the breed exhibits very The Asinina de Miranda is an endangered breed of low rates of reproduction. Less than a quarter of existing donkey originating from the far northeast of Portugal. It is Asinina de Miranda jennies have had foals registered in the characterized by having a long bay coat, a height of greater stud book [1]; the average foaling rate over the past than 130 cm, and a calm temperament, which makes it 10 years has been close to 50 foals a year, although this especially suited to agricultural work, milk production, and number has increased to around 70 foals a year in the past 2 years [2]. Average age at the first foaling has increased in recent decades, and for a large proportion of females, * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ351 962 615 727; fax: þ351 259 350 663. introduction into reproduction has been postponed until a E-mail address: [email protected] (M. Quaresma). later age, when fertility tends to decline and reproductive 0093-691X/$ – see front matter Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.10.021 M. Quaresma, R. Payan-Carreira / Theriogenology 83 (2015) 616–624 617 disorders become more prevalent [3]. The fact that most estrus detection up to ovulation; the laterality of ovulation; traditional owners show little interest in breeding seems to and the length of time in heat after ovulation. Furthermore, be the reason for this late entry into reproduction, together the putative influences of endogenous factors such as age with the lack of any need to replace working animals [1,2]. and body condition score (BCS) were also tested. More recently, under the guidance of the National Breeding Association (Associação Para o Estudo e Proteção do Gado 2. Materials and methods Asinino) and following new trends such as breeding fe- males for milk production, a growing number of young 2.1. Animals, management, and sample collection jennies are now being put into breeding [1,2]. The Asinina de Miranda is an endangered breed, despite This study used 14 nonpregnant clinically healthy attempts to raise interest in it by identifying alternative jennies of the Portuguese Asinina de Miranda breed of uses for these animals. It has been suggested that the donkey. The jennies were aged from 3 to 18 years: six number of females breeding each year be increased and young jennies aged between 3 and 5 years, six adult fe- that jennies should enter into reproduction earlier than males aged between 6 and 8 years, and two older females currently usual in an effort to increase foaling [1,2]. As there aged greater than 15 years. This distribution attempts to is such a limited amount of available information, this reflect the age pyramid seen in breeding females [2];the confirms the need for greater research into the reproduc- small number of females in the older group was due to tive physiology of the species. Milk production is one po- exclusion because of ovarian diseases. All the jennies had tential use of donkeys that has recently been exploited and BCS ranging from four to seven on a nine-point scale (5.7 could provide the means of preventing extinction for many points on average). The body condition score was regu- breeds, including the Asinina de Miranda; however, pro- larly evaluated during the breeding season, at 5-week ductive optimization requires greater knowledge of the intervals [18]. donkey’s reproductive physiology to increase foaling rates Data were collected during two breeding seasons, from [4]. Detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the estrous April to the late September, using a group of seven different cycle in Asinina de Miranda jennies is vital to improve the animals each year. The regular estrous cycles for both the reproductive management of the breed and increase the groups were studied from April to June, producing a total of reproductive efficiency. Furthermore, knowledge on how 33 estrous cycles. Most jennies were found to have two follicles develop and on their size at specific moments in successive estrous cycles; only five females, two from the this process (such as at deviation or ovulation) is funda- first year’s group and three from the second, recorded three mental to pharmacologic manipulation of the cycle or cycles. Complete previous reproductive histories were exogenous induction of ovulation. generally unknown in respect to previous pregnancies, but Jennies are similar to mares in many reproductive as- none of the females had foaled in the preceding breeding pects but tend to have longer breeding seasons [5,6] and season. The existence of regular estrous cycles was longer diestrus phases [7]. Consequently, donkeys have confirmed before the onset of the study. All the jennies longer interestrous intervals [5,8,9], similar to those re- were considered potentially fertile after a breeding ported for ponies [7]. The estrus length is similar among soundness examination. jennies, ponies, and mares [7,10,11], ovulation usually The animals were housed in Vila Real, Portugal (4117 0N occurring 1 to 2 days before the end of estrous behavior 7440W), in the university facilities, and kept under natural [6,9,10], as is also found in mares [12]. photoperiod. All the animals were routinely vaccinated for There are a few studies available on the characteristics equine influenza and tetanus (ProteqFlu-Te; Merial S.A.S., of the estrous cycle for other European donkey breeds Lyon, France) and dewormed every 6 months with 200-mg [7,11,13,14]. However, there have only been a limited ivermectin (Noromectin Oral Paste; Norbrook Laboratories, number of comparative studies on differences in donkey Northamptonshire, UK) per kg of body weight. The jennies breeds, like those known to exist in breeds of horse [15], were kept in a 2500-m2 paddock, with a 50-m2 shelter surveying characteristics such as the rate of ovulation and offering year-round protection from rain, sun, and wind. the prevalence of multiple ovulations, the size of the The animals were fed according to accepted protocols [19], ovulatory follicle, and the moment of ovulation within the consisting of 5 to 7 kg of hay and straw per jenny twice follicular stage. Such characteristics are yet to be deter- daily, which corresponded to a dry matter intake of be- mined in Asinina de Miranda. To implement conservation tween 1.5% and 2% of body weight, supplemented with 1 kg programs aimed at rescuing the breed, it is crucial that of concentrate, divided into two daily portions. Clean fresh assisted reproduction is considered, with particular regard water was always available. The animals were handled in to follicular development and the putative factors that may accordance with EU Directive 2010/63/EU for animal affect